Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in California
$121,530avg. a year
$58.43 an hour · 12,610 employed
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in California earn an average of $121,530 a year. That is $22,100 (22%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $144,580.
$124,840Median pay
$58.43Average hourly
+9%Avg. pay since 2020
#5Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for detectives and criminal investigators by metro area. Swipe to see all 19.
1280 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$144,580
$69.51 an hour
270 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$138,040
$66.37 an hour
3690 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$135,460
$65.13 an hour
440 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$129,740
$62.38 an hour
53,240 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$126,590
$60.86 an hour
690 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$126,200
$60.67 an hour
760 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$125,820
$60.49 an hour
81,510 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$124,470
$59.84 an hour
92,990 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$121,210
$58.27 an hour
1060 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$119,190
$57.30 an hour
1150 jobs
Salinas, CA
$115,050
$55.31 an hour
12770 jobs
El Centro, CA
$114,940
$55.26 an hour
13420 jobs
Fresno, CA
$114,580
$55.09 an hour
141,570 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$112,950
$54.30 an hour
15230 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$112,690
$54.18 an hour
1640 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$111,290
$53.50 an hour
1790 jobs
Modesto, CA
$99,860
$48.01 an hour
1840 jobs
Redding, CA
$98,380
$47.30 an hour
1990 jobs
Visalia, CA
$77,920
$37.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California detectives and criminal investigators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $87k$87k–$93k$93k–$106k$106k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $99,430 | $47.80 |
| California | $121,530 | $58.43 |
| Oregon | $113,430 | $54.53 |
| Nevada | $101,950 | $49.01 |
| Arizona | $100,000 | $48.08 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in California?
The average is $121,530 a year, and the median is $124,840. That is $22,100 (22%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$58.43 an hour on average; the median is $60.02.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,580), followed by Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($138,040). The lowest average among 19 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($77,920).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 33-3021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national detectives and criminal investigators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.